Like A Dragon: Yakuza is the latest live-action video game adaptation to hit Amazon Prime, following closely behind the streaming giant’s successful rendition of Fallout.
Now, it’s the turn of the Japanese action series, where players step into the shoes of Kazuma Kiryu, a Yakuza for the Dojima family. Based on the beloved Yakuza franchise by Sega, fans will recognise familiar faces from the games in an entirely new narrative.
They’ll also see them in a setting that stays true to the original material. But where exactly is the series set and does it correspond to a real location in Japan? Here’s what you need to know.
Just as the Grand Theft Auto franchise draws inspiration from actual US cities (Los Angeles becomes Los Santos and Miami turns into Vice City), the Yakuza series follows suit, reports the Mirror.
This approach is mirrored in the Like A Dragon Amazon series, with most of the action unfolding in the district of Kamurocho. However, Kamurocho isn’t an actual area or city in Japan. It’s a fictional entertainment district modelled after a real-life locale.
While not explicitly stated in the Amazon series, the game developers have mentioned being influenced by Kabukicho, Tokyo’s red-light district located in the Shinjuku ward.
Kamurocho is also where many of the Yakuza characters in the series conduct their business, including the Tojo Clan, Omi Alliance and Dojima Family.
The locale boasts a wide selection of eateries, retail outlets and venues for amusement such as nightclubs and karaoke joints.
It has served as the central backdrop in each primary instalment of the Yakuza franchise, alongside two derivative titles within the series, Judgment and Lost Judgment.
Its evolution through time has been so meticulous that the Japan Times remarked “that real-life visitors may not need the on-screen map” for Kabukicho if they are well-acquainted with Yakuza’s Kamurocho.
Like a Dragon: Yakuza episodes 1-3 are available to stream now on Amazon Prime with the final episodes available on October 31